Stuff to do in 2012 - Part 2

Picking up where we left off last time, here are the details of my remaining goals for 2012.

4. Ride 2,500 miles on my touring bike.
This one is connected to number 4, but bike specific. When I bought my touring bike in February 2010, I rode the thing every chance I had, no matter the weather. This despite slipping and going down hard on ice during my second time out. And fighting ferocious headwinds for most of the spring. I did a short tour in August and then…never rode the bike for the rest of the year. Not really sure why, I just didn’t.

So, in 2011 I set myself a vague goal of doubling my mileage for the year. Not only did I not double my mileage, I barely equaled it. Again, largely due to a several month layoff for no good reason at all.

Not this year though. 2,500 miles is the target and while I accept this is quite ambitious, I pledge to give it a darn good go. No indoor trainer this time, these all have to be outdoor miles and on one bike.

5. Hike further along the Colorado trail, at least to Breckenridge.
A blast from the past now. This has been on my ‘to do’ list for way too long. I first began the 500 mile long distance footpath known as The Colorado Trail back in June 2007. My plan was to devote a week’s vacation each year and hike it in segments. As I wrote on The Gunsmoke Files at the time, the first week was harder than anything I’ve ever experienced. The altitude gain, the weight of my gear, my general lack of preparation, every step was miserable and I’ve never been more glad to see the end of a hiking trip.

It was May of 2009 before I made it back out for the next leg. I was just planning on doing a short portion, not too far from home, over the course of a long weekend. The first 8 miles were terrific, striding out with a pack that felt weightless and a song in my heart. Then I hit the snow. I floundered around up to my dangly bits for about an hour before admitting that I had no idea where the trail was and it was futile to keep searching. Later, I learned that the pass over which I was attempting to hike wouldn’t be clear for another couple of months.

And here we are, 3 years older and no further along the trail. My vacation time is more or less spoken for already this year, so there’s no room for a long hike. However, I should be able to knock of this particular section in a couple of days.

Once the snow melts.

6. Finally climb a 14’er, dammit!
10 years in April. 10 years. That’s how long I’ve lived in Colorado and I’ve yet to scale one of the 53 mountains over the height of 14,000 feet. That’s 4,267.2 meters for those of you reading in foreign.
There’s a couple where you can drive almost to the top, then walk the last few yards and Dear Wife has hinted more than once that she’d quite like to do that. But no! Before I’ll allow myself to behave like a complete tourist I’m going to climb at least one, all the way to the top. It can even be one of the easy ones. The ones known euphemistically as “Beginner’s 14’ers.” I’ll take that.

But this year, I need to climb one. Once the snow melts and the trail is clear.

7. Camp out for 10 or more nights
Last one, and another which sounds easier than it’s probably going to be. 10 nights in a tent. Or not in a tent, but under the stars, or otherwise out of doors. As I’ve said, the bulk of my vacation time is spoken for, so most of these nights probably need to come on the weekends. Maybe tied in with rides on my touring bike. Or hiking the Colorado Trail. Or just getting out into the woods.

I’ve written before, the ground is a lot harder these days, and my old bones don’t react as well as they used to when it comes to parking them on rocks and tree roots. But I still loves me some camping.

So 10 nights it is.

There we are then, my goals for 2012. Progress to be recorded and reported for your viewing pleasure right here on The Gunsmoke Files.
How about you come with me?